Legendary spinner DJ Kay Slay is reportedly battling COVID-19 and has been put on a ventilator to assist his breathing, according to music manager Wack 100. On Wednesday (Jan. 5), Wack, who is apparently a close friend of Kay Slay, posted a photo of the Harlem native on Instagram with a caption revealing the news and requesting support, prayers and well-wishes for the DJ.
“Pray for my brotha @djkayslay It’s not looking good,” he wrote. “He might be mad at me for this those that know Slay but he needs all the support he can get … Been 14 days fighting Covid and he’s just [been] put on a ventilator . Keep him in your prayers Please.” A number of rap artists and other industry figures shared their concern for Kay Slay while wishing the mixtape icon a speedy recovery.
Rising to prominence in the New York mixtape scene during the late-’90s, DJ Kay Slay’s popularity exploded during the early-aughts, as his Streetsweeper mixtape series became one of the hottest and most influential brands of that era. He is also credited for facilitating the infamous telephone call between drug kingpins Azie “AZ” Faison and Alberto “Alpo” Martinez originally heard on his The Original Gangsters mixtape, and helped lead to the making of the 2002 crime drama, Paid in Full.
VIBE wishes DJ Kay Slay a speedy recovery.